Pioneer LP12D

Gramophones, 7" discs where manufactured as far back as 1894.
From 1918 countless companies produce them and they over took the popularity of
the cylinders. The play back speeds ranged from 60 to 120 rpm settling on 78 rpm
in 1925. The discs where made of shellac from 1898 until being replaced by vinyl
33 1/3 and 45 rpm records in the late 1950s. The LP was invented in 1948
allowing up to 30 minutes playing time on a 12" disc. Vinyl dates back to 1931.
The 7" single arrived in 1949.

The first stereo recordings where issued in 1958. These had to
be compatible with mono systems which still dominated the sales into the early
1960s with record players developing into music centres from the likes of
Dansette and Pye.

To reproduce the fidelity of the vinyl record people
began to buy separate turntables, amplifiers and speakers. The thinking at the
time considered that the speakers where of prime importance, then the amplifier
and the source last. Magazines often recommended a budget divided three ways.
Then, in 1972 Ivor Tiefenbrun of the Glasgow based scientific company threw out
that thinking and set out to proof that the most important component was the
source. Just as Rolls Royce made a better car simply by engineering the
technology to the highest possible standards the LP12D utilises a suspended
sub-chassis design and a patented single-point bearing machined to extremely
tight tolerances.

Clearly taking advantage of the rave reviews on belt drive
quality turntables Pioneer released the LP12D in 1972.

Solid, well built and one of those components that exceed by a clear margin the
expected performance according to it's price bracket.

I purchased the Pioneer LP12D for my parents in 1974
from Lasky's Oxford Street along with a Sony TA88 amplifier matching ST88 FM/AM
tuner and Technics cassette deck from Harrods. From the date it is possible that
it was a Mark II, as some claim that was introduced 1-2 years earlier. I no
longer have the deck to confirm on the label on the back and don't know the
differences that might be elsewhere.

Lasky recommended an Empire 99 cartridge. Sometime later the
needle was damaged and my parents where told that they needed a new cartridge
and got the Shure M75ED. I replaced the needle. Hence one cartridge in the
original headshell and one in the SME headshell.

The turntable came with a plug for 45rpm singles that have
been used in juke boxes or otherwise have no centre. The dust brush was a common
accessory recommended at the time and would be placed ahead, on the grove where
the stylus was tracking.

Attention to detail also applied to the built in accessory for
checking the overhang of the stylus - a small plastic column that could be
pulled up to the height of the stylus.

Switching between 33 and 45 rpm is by the flip of a switch
(bottom left).

Note the Euro plug in the photograph above. The system used a
QED mains distribution block that was a row of six Euro sockets. Originally it
was fitted with a US style two pin plug and had a European 2 pin style adapter
supplied. There is a voltage selector for 110-127 and 220-240 volt operation.
this required replacing the belt pulley.

The amplifier and FM tuner where replaced by an Alba receiver
- of which two went up in smoke but where replaced by Comet. Then in 1982 by a
Uher Miniline VG850 pre-amp, EG850 AM/FM tuner,
Z140 power amplifier and CR240 portable cassette recorder and the original
Sony speakers upgraded to JR149 with LPA
and Super Woofer. The Z140 power amplifier blows capacitors and was
repaired only to fail again not long after. A
Meridian MCA amplifier was then purchased with a matching FM tuner. And so
from 1984 until 2006 was used by my father in this configuration with the
turntable in a cabinet - protected from dust and sun light.

Through the changes and upgrades the Pioneer PL-12D continued
to hold it's own. I did test it with an Ortofon VM30 cartridge which was a
better choice cartridge than the ones in use.

There was a model PL-112D with a semi-automatic arm lift at
the end of playing a record. My friend owned this turntable. I never had the
chance to compare side by side but subjectively I wouldn't pick one over the
other. The standing of the PL-12D is such that on sale now, 40 years later, it
raises more interest and value than the more expensive and many newer releases
from Pioneer.

The Pioneer PL-12D sells for anything from £28 to £130. With
headshell and working cartridge more typically in the £60-80 range. Anyone
wishing to transfer their vinyl collection to the computer or CD should consider
getting a Pioneer PL-12D and a pre-amplifier with moving magnet input and a
tape/cassette output to the computer. The turntable and amplifier can be resold
later for little if any loss. Classic hi-fi like this is a league above the USB
turntables seen on sale and a fraction of the cost of getting a new turntable at
anything like this quality. The same logic can be applied to temporary
buying any number of classic hi-fi turntables and amplifiers but at an outlay
several times higher.